Tiny home gives independence to London, Ont. woman with disabilities

It’s not every day that you see a house flying through the air and landing safely in its place.

But that was the scene that played out on Cranbrook Road in London, Ont. on Friday, as a local family had a tiny home delivered for their daughter.

“It felt like we were never going to get to this day, but now, like, just excitement,” said Stephanie Breidinger, the new homeowner.

The 35-year-old uses a wheelchair, and the tiny home, placed in the family backyard, is how she will now gain much needed, and much desired independence.

“It means independence, but still being close enough to my family to have the support that I need,” said Breidinger. “I don’t want to cry, but it means independence, at the end of the day, is what it is.”

Stephanie Breidinger gets keys to her new tiny home in London, Ont. on Dec. 9, 2022. (Bryan Bicknell/CTV News London)

A crowd of neighbours gathered as the house was lifted through the air by crane, over the family home, and into place in the backyard.

This day has been a long time coming, said Stephanie’s mother, Lisa Bradley, who added that the tiny home is an alternative to a costly rental home.

“She’s had a lot of surgeries in her lifetime and still deals with a lot of issues, so we needed a place for her to live, and London’s very expensive right now with rent and housing costs,” said Bradley. “We decided to put one [the] backyard and give her space and some privacy.”

The cost of the home, including delivery and the installation of utilities, came in at $215,000. It’s 11 by 28 feet in size, with 260 sq. ft. of space inside.

A still image from drone footage depicts Stephanie Breidinger's new tiny home being moved into its permanent spot in London, Ont. on Dec. 9, 2022. (Source: Shawn Bradley)

Builder Dan Ott of Cayuga-based True North Tiny Homes said it has everything you would expect in any house.

“You still have a full kitchen, you still have a full bathroom, you still have a full electrical system, [and] you still have a full heating system,” he said.

It was a day filled with emotion, as a new homeowner received the keys to her new life and newfound independence.

“It feels pretty awesome,” said Breidinger.